Tag Archives: Arts and Entertainment

So You Wanna Be a Photographer, Huh? Well, Prepare Yourself for the Haters.

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On the advice of someone who I respect and care about, I am going to start writing a series of blog posts from time to time entitled “So You Wanna Be a Photographer, Huh?”  The person noted that I’m going into my second year of shooting and should share what I’ve learned…the good, the bad and the ugly of my experiences, most of which have nothing to do with photography at all and everything to do with making good choices so that you can pursue your life’s dream with the level of self-awareness that is so necessary to achieve some level of success and satisfaction.

At any rate, I spent a few days reflecting on the advice I received, after which I decided that this was a good idea, and would be fun.

So here’s the deal.  I plan on writing these posts when time permits and when I’m inspired to do so.  The posts will consist of straight talk – the type of real talk that I wished that I had heard before I plunged head first into the photography abyss.  My approach to this question is designed to put a more personal spin on things that you probably won’t find on other photography blogs.  It’s the type of real talk that I hope will make you think very hard before taking the plunge as I did.  I’m going to stay away from jargon and photography-speak and try to make these posts enjoyable for photographers and non-photographers alike.

Now that I’m thinking about it, I may invite some guest bloggers to opine on this question as well….different perspectives are always nice.

So I hope that you will continue to follow along on this part of my journey.  As always, thank you and peace and blessings.

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“So you call yourself a photographer…”  She said it with a snarl so vicious that dreams I didn’t know I had almost died at that very moment.  It shocked and disappointed me, because I really looked up to this person and respected her opinion.  Luckily for me, I don’t give up that easy, and I kept pushing forward.  Lesson #1:  Everyone should not be privy to your plans and dreams.

I’ve learned very early that when you step out on faith to pursue your life’s calling, haters will come out of the cracks like disease-ridden roaches.

There are usually two kinds of haters, I’ve observed. First, there are the watchful, passive aggressive haters.  These are the kind who will stand back and watch you. They don’t say anything encouraging or constructive, but they don’t say anything overtly negative either.  Either way, you get the sense that they are standing back, waiting for you to  fail, fall on your face or otherwise embarrass yourself so they can step up and say, “See, I knew it!  You should have stuck to (fill in the blanks.)…you’re good at that.”

The other kind of hater is the spear-chucking, poor impulse control kinda hater.  He/she will come out straight, no chaser, with their venom-spewing comments and nasty remarks that offer no value to what you’re trying to do whatsoever.  You will have no doubt in your mind that he or she is not digging what you’re trying to do.  I welcome this kind of hate, because at least I know where they are coming from and I can take steps to erase them from my reality.

What do these two kinds of people have in common?  Well, more than likely, these people aren’t pursuing their life purpose (or don’t even know what they’ve been put on this earth to do, for real).  They are stuck in jobs or personal situations that are oppressive and spirit-sucking.  Because they hate where they are in life, they will find ways to try to thwart your journey.  It’s a very powerful commentary on why it’s important to conquer our fears and just step out on faith and do what we are put on this planet to do and trust that the rest will take care of itself in due time.

Bottom line:   No one likes (or really needs) haters.  I have enough going on that I have to manage.  The photography business is competitive enough and I’m always second-guessing my skills and capabilities, because, frankly, there are like 20,000,000 photographers, a lot of whom are very talented and are all looking for the same big break (or a bunch of little breaks).

Anyone who has worked as a freelancer can relate to what I’m about to say.  When you don’t have the benefit of support/encouragement/constructive criticism of a team of colleagues as you would in a more traditional work situation, it all falls on you to make things happen.  The pressure makes you hyper-critical.  I find myself constantly assessing and re-assessing my skills, my approach, my relationships, the whole shot.  It’s akin to having a whole family of haters in your head who have taken up permanent residence, constantly second-guessing you and filling your head with doubt.

The point is this:  I don’t need any help from the likes of you, dear hater.  So if you are in a hateful kind of mood and have nothing constructive to offer, please go play in traffic.  Thank you and have a nice day.

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What Inspires Me? The Freedom (and Space) to Do Me.

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I was walking to the library the other day and realized that I haven’t written a “What Inspires Me” post in a minute.  Funny how time flies when you’re having fun.

I’ve been really busy shooting, editing, networking and trying to move my photography practice forward that I haven’t taken the time out to jot down some of my thoughts and reflections on this blog. For that, I should be taken out and flogged.  But before you pull out the rods, switches, the cat o’ nine tails and the sjambok (whatever that is), please indulge me for a few minutes.

I think it’s important for artists to take time for self-reflection and all that.  But I have to be honest with you.  Because I’ve been so busy with various projects and assignments, I’ve found it really, really hard to find the right words to describe what and how I’m feeling about my work and which direction I’m thinking about taking my photography in the coming year.

I feel like it’s too soon to really talk about it in a way that other people will understand and relate to.  Hell, it’s even hard for me to wrap my mind around.    And sometimes, I’m just plain tired.

It’s akin to making bread:  You knead and roll and stretch the dough for what seems like an eternity.  Then you sit it aside in a bowl, and cover it, to let it rise…you can’t rush the process or else the final product doesn’t turn out quite right.  When the time is right, I will find the right words to say to express my fully formed thoughts.  Until that time, I will let my photos speak for me.

But anyway, I was walking down the street, thinking about what to write, and being mindful of the fact that I can’t do both simultaneously for too long (without tripping over my feet).

And, since we’re heading into the season for giving thanks and counting our blessings, I want to pause and give thanks to all of those people who have played a role in giving me the freedom and the space to do me, the real me.  You all know who you are.

What does the “freedom and space to do me” mean?  I can get up when I want, work when I want, work on what I want, go where my curiosity takes me and tell assholes to kiss off when I feel like it and not live in fear of someone retaliating or doling out severe repercussions for speaking my mind or daring to disagree.  There is nothing more heady or intoxicating or more inspiring than knowing that I have complete autonomy over my life.   I love the fact that no one else is responsible for my failure or success but me.  This means that I can take all the credit for if this thing works, but most importantly, I can (and will) take the fall if  this thing swirls down the toilet bowl.

Besides.  I think I’ve paid my dues.  Lord knows, I’ve paid my dues and earned the right to do me.  So, let me tighten up my head wrap and keep this thing moving.

And Happy Thanksgiving to all of you who celebrate!

Let’s Connect!!!  Facebook | Twitter | Flickr  | Tumblr

Photo of the Day: Saundra.

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I took this portrait on assignment Saturday at the Philadelphia International Art Fair of Saundra of In Your Face Painting.  In addition to doing the face painting thing with her partner Rick, she is a spoken word artist and musician.  It was a pleasure meeting her and I look forward to seeing her in action real soon. By the way, this image will become part of my Portraits of Philadelphia:  Camera Therapy series….quintessential Philly, don’t you think?

Portrait of Saundra. Taken October 15, 2011 in Philadelphia PA, at the Philadelphia International Art Expo.

Photos of the Day: The Fog of Battle.

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Taken October 1, 2011 in Philadelphia, PA.

Taken October 1, 2011 in Philadelphia, PA

I shot these images this past Saturday at the Revolutionary Germantown Festival.  View the rest of the photo set here.  The accompanying back story about the Festival and the re-enactment of the Battle of Germantown of October 4, 1777 can be found here.

I’ll be posting outtakes from the day to my Facebook page and on other social media sites in the next few days, so be on the lookout.

Check Out My First New Short Video on YouTube!

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Hey everybody, I’m doing a late summer promotion to get the word out about my Portraits of Philadelphia:  Camera Therapy street portrait project.  I created a short YouTube video slideshow (my first, yes, I was a YouTube virgin before now) of some of my favorite images that I’ve taken since I’ve been here in Philly for your viewing pleasure.  That’s all!  And while you’re at it, please subscribe to my YouTube Channel, that way you can be in the know when new videos are released.

What Inspires Me? Decisive Moments Do. (Thank You, Henri Cartier-Bresson)

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Earlier this month, over on my Tumblr blog, I asked the question:  “What are you passionate about?”

I got a small but very interesting range of responses that got me to thinking some more about the things that inspire us to take action, to shake us out of our routines, to make us better people.  That led me to think about the people, places and things in my life that influenced me to step out on faith, and pursue my aspirations of becoming a professional photographer.

I took art history classes in college.  They transformed how I began to see myself and the world, but I didn’t stop there. I took my passion for art and sought to build a conventional museum career, but it just wasn’t my time yet.

Fortunately, for me, I got a second chance…..a number of disparate elements did conspire to bring me back to my center, to my first love, my deepest passion.  Conversations with trusted confidants.  The melody or the lyrics or the message in a song that moved me in a deep and indescribable way.  Other times, it was the touch of a hand, or a kiss on my lips.  Still, other times, it could be a novel, or a poem, or a movie. Dreams I’ve had were disturbing yet inspiring.  I’ve been touched deeply by someone’s scent or the innocent and playful laugh of child full of hope and determination to spread her wings and fly.

The point is, I can’t really point to one discrete element and say, yes, that is what inspired me to give this thing a try one more time. I can’t always anticipate those things that will move me so, but I try to be open to all things so that I don’t miss those opportunities.

With that said, from time to time, I will blog about that which inspires and informs my photography and more importantly, that which influences my general outlook on why it is vitally important for a post-modern society to embrace and support the arts.  A society that devalues the individual creative impulse is a society doomed to certain failure.  In my humble opinion, art, creativity, culture, are all important civilizing elements; technology, philosophy and politics can only take us so far.

So, I thought it would be fitting to launch these series of posts with a short video retrospective of the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson, widely considered to be the father of street photography/photojournalism.  He wrote and spoke of the “decisive moment” in photography, ‘the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as the precise organization of forms which gives that event its proper expression.”

This is what I’m strove to work on as a shooter during year one of what I term Act II of my life…….to align my mind’s eye with what has been described as “the camera’s ability to transfix a moment in time’s flow.” Over a year ago, I bought a new camera, starting first to seek and document the beauty in ordinary people and things….venturing into places overlooked or outright rejected by others…. and, as Bresson eloquently noted, to mine the depths for decisive moments, hoping “to preserve life in the act of living.”

As I move into year two of my Act II journey, I don’t know what the future will hold for me, but I am committed to opening my heart and mind to the little things that can prove themselves to be big game-changers.

Watch the video and be sure to leave a comment or send me a private note.

Let’s Connect!!!  Facebook | Twitter | Flickr  | Tumblr

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Photo of the Day: “Hey Gorgeous!”

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“You gonna take my picture??” 

LOL!  I usually get the question after I’ve already snapped the photo, but I will fire off a few more shots where they smile and pose just to satisfy their request.  When I’m on the street, my goal is to capture the unposed candid images better….where I catch people just being themselves.

Taken April 4, 2011 in Philadelphia, PA

Photo: In My ‘Hood (On the Corner)

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© 2010 Mom of Three Photography, all rights reserved

 

I can’t remember the order in which I took this and the late practice photos. 

I watched the young man with the football jersey and the young man on the bike under the street lamp and remembered the days when we used to hang out under our street lamp after dark…hoping our parents wouldn’t call us inside for the night.

Sadly, things have changed. 

At any rate, I retouched both to give them that nostalgic feel. 

Sometimes I wish I could go back to being 15 or 16 again.  Whoever said being grown was the ish was sadly mistaken.

Photo: In My ‘Hood (Do you Ever Think? It’s Against the Law…). October 1, 2010

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(c) 2010 Mom of Three Photography, all rights reserved

 

This is a continuation of the God Wall.  I think this photograph needs no explanation.  

When I saw it, I started cracking up, because I was like, damn, it had to be pretty bad for someone to have to take the time to paint a sign on the wall?  

And are there really laws in New Jersey against urinating against a wall?  Must be, because there are laws for everything else here in the Garden State. 
 

Photo: In My ‘Hood (The God Wall). October 1, 2010

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(c) 2010 Mom of Three Photography, all rights reserved

 

I took this after I left the library Friday evening on my way home. 

It’s funny because I never noticed it before, and the more I look at it, I see that someone took a lot of time on this project.  

The man rushing past looked to be a little nervous, which happens a lot when I aim my camera at people.  Folks either think I’m the Jersey City police or a reporter.  

The wall is interesting because it features a number of Bible scriptures and I guess the intent is to be a constant religious reminder to people in the hood to get their act together?  Maybe a source of comfort? 

I don’t know, but I captured the shot because I thought it was visually interesting.